Operating mechanism for pickling machines



April 14, 1925.

Filed Sept. 2, 1922 W/ T/VESSES Patented Apr. 14, 192 5,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEIF LEE, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR '10 GEORGE MESTA, 0F 'JE'IT']!SBU'RGH,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ornnn'rine mncnnnrsn non ZPIGKLING MACHINES.

Applicatien filed September 2, 1922. Serial No. 585,973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnm LEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have made a new and useful invention in Operating Mechanisms for Pickling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to operating mechanisms for machines such as pickling machines and has for an object to produce a mechanism of this character which is simpler to construct and maintain and is more effective and eiiicient in operation than other mechanisms now in use and known to Inthe drawings, Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic View of a pickling machine equipped with an operating mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa sectional view", along the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of the apparatus and Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 4.4 of Fig. 3.

In the operation of pickling machines, it is essential to provide means for lowering andraising the trays into and out of the pickling vats and also for agitating the trays or the articles contained in them while they are in the pickling solution. An object of this invention, is therefore, to provide a simple and durable mechanism for performing these functions.

As illustrated in the drawings, the pickling machine includes pickling vats 5-5 and trays 6-6 which are adapted to be moved into and out of the vats. The trays are suspended from support arms 7 by means of chains or cables 8. The arms 7 are mounted on a support plunger 9 which is adapted to be reciprocated for the purposeof moving the trays into and out of the vats 5 and also for the purpose of agitating the trays while they are located in the pickling solution.-

As shown, the support plunger 9 extends vertically and is guided by a frame or guide 10. The frame is provided with a pressure chamber 11 through which the plunger 9 extends and the plunger is provided with a collar or piston 12 which operates in the be employed for delivering the actuating fluid or liquid to the interior of the pres sure chamber below the piston 12. In the drawings, I have shown piping 13 communicating with the chamber at a point below the lowest position of the piston 12. This piping is provided with a three-way valve 1 1 and is thereby adapted to be placed in communication with a source of fluid under pressure through piping 15 or with the exhaust through a pipe 16.

The plunger 9 extends downwardly through the lower endof the chamber 11 and'is provided with a suitable gasket or packing 17 for preventing the escape of fluid under pressure through the joint between it and the chamber. The lower end of the plunger 9 projects into a sleeve-like shoe 18 which is adapted to be reciprocated for the purpose of agitating the trays or the articles contained in them while the trays are located in the pickling vats.

As shown, the shoe 18 is axially aligned moves downwardly during thev operation of submerging the articles to be pickled in the pickling solution. As shown, a buffer plate 19 is located in the bottom'of the shoe 18 and is supported by buffer springs 20 located between it and the bottom of the shoe. This plate is engaged by the plunger when the trays 6 are in position within the vats 5. 1 p

The shoe may be mechanically reciprocated by any desired means, but in the drawings I have illustrated a bell crank 21 provided with a bifurcated arm 22 which straddles the shoe and engages trunnions formed thereonr The bell crank is pivotally mounted on a suitable trunnion 23 carried by the frame 10 andsis oscillated by means of a rod 24:. As diagrammatically shown, the rod 24 is an eccentric rod and is actuated by means of an eccentric 25 mounted on a shaft 26. It will,'of course, be apparent that oscillatory motion may be transmitted to the bell crank by any may, therefore, function as a crank rod.

It will also be apparent that any suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft 26. In the drawings, I have illustrated the shaft 26 as provided with a pulley 27 which is driven by a belt 28. The shaft is preferably provided with a fly wheel 29 for the purpose of storing up energy during the downward movement of the plunger 9.

As the plunger 9 moves upwardly in response to pressure delivered to the pressure chamber 11, below the piston 12, its lower end moves out of contact with the buffer plate 19 and moves freely through the upper portion of the shoe 18. In order to prevent the plunger 9 from turning while being reciprocated by the shoe, I have provided an interlocking connection between it and the buffer plate 19 and have splined the buffer plate to the shoe so that it will move. up and down independently of the shoe, but will not turn with relation thereto. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower end of the plunger is provided with grooves 31 which are adapted to be engaged by tongues or ridges 32 formed on the upper face of the plate 19 and which prevent the plunger from turning relatively to the plate. The plate is prevented from turnin by a key 33, engaging keyways former? in the shoe 18 and the plate 19. The key-way in the plate 19 is, however, so proportioned that the plate is capable of slidin along the key during the operation of the shoe, so as to permit the buffer springs 20 to erfiorm their function. The operation of the apparatus is as follows When'it is desired to lift the trays 6 out of the vats 5, the three-way valve 14 is turned to a position such that the piping 13 is placed in direct communication with the piping 15 and communication is cut off between it and the pipe 16.- Undersuch conditions, fluid under pressure is introduced in the pressure chamber 11 below the piston 12 and the plunger 9 is moved upwardly. This quently 50 upward movement raises the plunger out of engagement with the plate 19 and consethe plunger may be turned to different positions for the purpose of swinging the arms 7. When it is desired to lower the trays into thevats, the arms 7 are swung to such a position that each tray is located over its co-operating vat and the three-way valve 14 is then turned to establish communication between the piping 13 and the exhaust piping 16. This releases the pressure in the chamber 11 and permits the plunger 9 to settle or move downwardly. As it reaches the lower limit of its travel, it engages the buffer plate 19, and is consequently supported by the shoe 18 through the agenc of the springs 20. The'oscilla tions of t 0 shoe 18 are,

therefore, imparted to the plunger through the springs 20. It

will be apparent that with this arrangement, the shaft 26 may be continuously driven and that the agitation of the articles within the pickling solution may be accomplished with the expenditure of a minimum amount of energy. The energy delivered to the shoe 18 will be practically negligible during the" period that the plunger 9 is raised out of contact with the buffer plate 19 and by employing the fly wheel 29 or similar energy storing device, the downward movement of the plunger will store energy in the shoe operating mechanism while the shoe is pulsating the plunger.

While I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, additions and substitutions may be made in the apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein set forth.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination in a pickling machine, a "at for the pickling solution, a tray a longitudinally reciprocable and rotatable plunger for supporting said" tray, pressure actuated means for yieldingly supporting said plunger and for reciprocating the same to move said tray into or out of said vat and means independent of said pressure actuated means for imparting longitudinal pulsations to said plunger when said tray is in saidyat including a nonrotatable reciprocable shoe adapted to receive the lower end of said plunger when said tray is in said vat, mechanical means for reciprocating said shoe and a nonrotatable yieldm ly supported buffer plate located withm said shoe and adapted to support said plunger and lock it against rotation while said shoe is reciprocating.

2. In combination in a pickling machine, a vat for the pickling solution, a tray, a longitudinally movable and rotatable plunger for supporting said tray and for moving it into and out of said vat, means for imparting pulsations to .said plunger while said tray is in said vat including a reciprocable non-rotatable shoe adapted to receive the lower end of said plunger when said tray is in said vat, a buffer plate yieldingly mounted within said shoe for supporting said plunger and looking it against rotatiton, means for reciprocating said shoe and independent pressure responsive means for reciprocating said plunger to lower and raise said plunger so as to move said tray into and out of said vat.

3. In combination in a pickling machine, a vat for the pickling solution, a tray, a longitudinally reciprocable and rotatably mounted plunger for supporting said tray and for moving it into and out of said vat, mechanical means for reciprocating said plunger while said tray is in said vat includtions of said shoe and mechanical means for I ing a non-rotatable shoe adapted to receive reciprocating said shoe.

the lower end of said plunger When said In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 10 tray is moved thereby into said vat, a. spring subscribed my name this 31st day of Ausupported buffer plate within said shoe gust, 1922. adapted to receive, support and look said plunger against rotation during reoiproca- LEIF LEE. 

